Weighing and packaging apparatus



Dec. 18, 1951 E. E. LIPPMANN ET Al.

WEIGHING AND PACKAGING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 5l, 1946 ATTdRNEYs Dec. 18, 1951 E. E. LIPPMANN ETAL WEIGHING AND PACKAGING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 3l, 1946 ATTORNEYS Dec. 18, 1951 E. E. LIPPMANN r-:TAL 2,579,237

WEIGHING AND PACKAGING APPARATUS med Jan. s1, 194e 4 sheets-sheet :5

INVENTORS EDMUND E. LIPPMANN ARTHUR W.L|PPMANN ATTORNEYS E. E. LIPPMANN ETAL WEIGHING AND PACKAGING APPARATUS D ec. 1s, 1951 4 Sheets-'Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 31, 1946 INVENToRs EDMUND E.L|PPMANN ARTHUR w.1.|PPMANN ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 18, 1951 WEIGHING AND PACKAGING APPARATUS Edmund E. Lippmann and Arthur W. Lippmann, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application January 31, 1946, Serial No. 644,622

s Claims. 1

This invention appertains to packaging, and more particularly to a novel machine for filling a predetermined quantity of desired objects in packing or shipping cartons.

One of the primary objects of our invention is to provide a complete automatic device for packing, by weight, a predetermined quantity of arti cles, such as welding rods, in cartons, whereby each of the cartons will contain substantially the same amount of the articles, and whereby the cartons can be rapidly and economically filled with the expenditure of a minimum amount of time and labor.

Another salient object of our invention is to provide a novel mechanism for delivering articles to a suitable transfer guide or bin for stacking or arranging the articles to t a predetermined sized carton, with means for moving the articles from said guide or bin to a carton when the articles in the transfer guide reach a predetermined exact weight.

A further object of our invention is to provide means for mounting the transfer guide or bin on the platform of a weighing scale, so that the articles will be accurately weighed as they are deposited in said guide with means actuated by the scale pointer for closing a motor circuit when a predetermined weight of the articles in the guide is reached for operating a reciprocating ram, whereby the articles in the guide can be quickly transferred and pushed in a waiting carton.

A further important object of our invention is to provide novel means for vibrating the transfer guide or bin on the platform of the weighing scale, so as to insure the correct compact stacking of the articles in the bin, whereby the articles can be pushed in the carton as a compact bundle.

A further object of our invention is to provide automatic means for stopping the feed of the articles from the supply hopper to the bin when the exact desired weight of the articles in the bin is reached.

A still further object of our invention is to provide automatic means for returning the ram to its initial position after the articles have been transferred from the guide or bin to a carton and for'automatically allowing the feeding of the articles to the bin when the ram has returned to its initial starting position.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a compact and rugged machine which will effectively accomplish its purpose with a minimum amount of attention on the part of an at tendant, a simple and efficient means being provided for insuring the proper correlated functioning of the various elements of the machine relative to one another.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction. arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view through our improved rod packing machine, the section being taken substantially on the line l-I of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine with parts thereof broken away and in section, a carton being shown in position for receiving a bundle of welding rods.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the machine with parts thereof broken away to illustrate structural features.

Figure 4 is a side elevational View showing the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view through the machine taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating the means for feeding the articles from the hopper to the transfer guide or bin, the View also showing the automatic cutoff for the hopper.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view through the machine, taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view being on a larger scale than Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the view illustrating the novel means for mounting the reciprocating ram on the machine.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail transverse sectional view, taken on the line 'l-'l of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view illustrating the drive means for the feeding mechanism for insuring the delivering of the articles from the hopper to the transfer guide or bin, the view being on the same scale as Figures l to 5, inclusive.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 9,1ooking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the novel switch trip mechanism actuated by the pointer of the weighing scales for setting the ram into operation.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view also illustrating the switch trip mechanism, and

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic View illustrating one simple method, which can be utilized for operating the various control meters, solenoids, and the like.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter M generally indicates our improved machine, and the same cooperates with a conveyor C, utilized for carrying cartons, or the like Il, in proper timed relation to and from the machine M.

The conveyor, while cooperating with the machine M, does not form a part of the present invention, and such conveyor, with the carton flap opening mechanism, flap sealing and closing mechanism, forms a part of a separate invention.

It is to be noted, however, that the conveyor C includes a frame l5, having an endless belt or chain I6. This belt is provided, at spaced points, with flights or guides l1, for receiving and holding a carton Il. from corrugated board, or the like, and includes a body I2 having closing flaps i3 and lli at its opposite ends. The flaps I3 can be sealed, if so desired', when the cartons are placed in position on the conveyor. The flaps Ill are left open so that the end of the carton facing the machine will be open to receive the bundle of weldingV rods or other articles.

Our machine M includes a base 26 constructed in any desired manner, but as illustrated, the

same includes a pair of spaced parallel, longitudinally extending channel irons, or the like, 2i and 22; and these channel irons can be connected and braced by suitable cross members.

Mounted upon the base 26 is a frame 23 for supporting the hopper 24, and the feed mechanism 25, for delivering the welding rods, one at a time, to` the transfer guide or bin 26. Arranged within the frame 23 and on the base 26, isv the weighing scale 21.

The weighing scale is of aV type now found on the market and is of the character having a horizontally.A disposed platform '28. on which the articles tov be weighed are normally placed. Rising from the base of the weighing scale 21, is a casing 29 v in-.which moves an indicating pointer 36. The indicating pointer 30 travels over a scale plateV 3l for indicatingV thev weight of articles on the platform. The scale itself forms no part of the present invention other than in the novel com- C bination thereof with other features of the invention. However, the pointer 30 is utilized for tripping a switch mechanism 312, for a certain purpose, which will be later described.

Mounted directly upon the platform 28 is a vibrator 33 and the shaking platform 34 of the vibrator has securelyV mounted thereon, the transfer guide or bin 26.

The vibrator is also of a. commercial type now found in the open market, and hence will not. be

described in detail. However, it is to be understood that the combination of the weighing scale 2T, the vibratorA 33 and the transfer guide or bin all cooperate together to produce a certain desired result inthe: operation of our machine.`

The'transfer guide' or bin 26. is4 of a U shape in cross'section, and includes spaced parallel uprightside walls 35 and a bottom wall 36,. whi'chis mounted on the'shakingplatform 34. of' the vibrator, as previously brought out; The ends of the transfer guide or bin are'open, and the guide or binextends longitudinally of the machine and dir'ectly'belowk the. hopper 24.

The hopper 24 includes downwardly and inwardly: inclined converginggside` walls 1.3.1? and The carton 17 can be formed the lower edges of the walls are spaced and terminate in depending spaced parallel guide flanges 38. These flanges are arranged centrally of the transfer bin and it is to be noted that the hopper 24 is secured to uprights 39 which are in turn rigidly fastened to the base 26. The spaced anges 38 define a delivery mouth or chute, and obviously, the weight of the articles and the inclined walls 3l tend to feed the said articles in the hopper to this chute. In order to insure the feeding of the articles one at a time, and to prevent the too rapid feeding of the articles to the guide or bin, we provide a pair of spaced parallel shafts 56. These shafts are mounted in suitable bearings il carried by the end Walls of the hopper and the shafts carry, for rotation therewith, discs d2, which extend into the chute through slots 43, formedl in the lower ends of the hopper and spaced anges 38. The forward terminals of the shafts i6 have keyed, or otherwise secured thereto, sprocket wheels M, and these wheels are. driven by a sprocket chain d5. The sprocket chain is in turn driven from the armature shaft of an electric motor 66,w which can be supported. on a suitable bracket, or the like, 4l, carried by the uprights 39 for the hopper. By referring to Figure. 7, it can be seen that the sprocket chain 35 is trained about one sprocket wheel M and that one run of the chain engages the other sprocket wheel, and hence the chain drvesthe discs 42 together. The discs function to prevent the choking of the chute and to cause the dropping of one rodA at a time therein.

A means l is provided for cutting o the delivering of the welding rods or other articles from the chute to the transfer bin or guide 2S at pre-- determined times, as will be later set forth. This mechanism i3 includes a sliding shut-off gate 9- movableY under and away from the chute. A guide l is provided for the gate to insure the proper sliding movement thereof. A bell crank 5I is rockably mountedV at its angle, as at 52 on a bracket 5S.` rihe bracket 53 can be fastenedto the hopper 2d. The lowerarm of the bell crank. 5l is operatively united to the slidingA gate 49 through a pin and slot connection, as indicated by the reference character Eil. The upper arm of the bell crank is operatively connected through a pin and slot connection, as at 55, to the armature 56` of a solenoid Lil. The solenoid lcan, be connected to the bracket 53. A spring 58 is utilized for quickly moving the gate to. a closed position under the lower end of the chute 38 and thesolenoid E?, when energized, functions to quicklymove the gate. to an openY position vaway from the chute. rlhis willbe more fully set forth las the description proceeds.

S0 far, it can be seen that the Welding rods are delivered to the transfer guide bin` or chute 26I from the hopper at a predetermined rate andthat the transfer bin is mounted upona vibrator D33 fory leveling off and compacting the welding rodswin the transfer guide, bin. In view of the fact that the vibrator is mounted upon the weighing scale Z'Lthe weight of the rods in the transfer guide bin will effect the pointer Sil. Obviously, the weight of the vibrator 33 andthe transfer guiderbin-ZE is taken into consideration during the weighing of the welding rods.

The mechanism justA described is arranged at the forward end of the basel 26 and the; base carries a reciprocating rain Bil'. utilized for moving a bundle of welding. rodswhen the same .reacha predetermined weight,.from the .transfer guide. or bin to a waiting carton lil Thisrarn is mounted in a novel manner upon the base, so that the ram will be held in perfect alignment with the transfer guide or bin and so that ease of travel of the ram is assured. The base 28 carries a frame 5| for the ram and this frame can include corner uprights or standards 82 which are welded or otherwise fastened to transversely extending angle brace irons 69. These brace members 63 are in turn welded or otherwise fastened to the longitudinal base beams 2|. The upper ends of the uprights or standards 82 have secured thereto a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending channel beams 94 and these beams are preferably arranged with their flanges facing inwardly and the beams not only form a support for the ram, but also means for supporting parts of the operating mechanism for the ram. The outer faces of the beam 94 have welded or otherwise secured thereto, upright posts 95, 'and the upper ends of these posts carry spaced parallel longitudinally extending angle iron beams, or the like, 66. The ram 68, itself, is arranged centrally between the channel beams 94 and the top beams S56, and these beams 64 Iand 69 carry, respectively, bottom and top sets S1 and 58 of transversely extending guide rollers. The ram is supported by the rollers and slides between said upper and lower sets of rollers. The terminals of the rollers of the sets are rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 99, carried by the beams 64 and the top beams 88.

To prevent transverse shifting of the ram and to further facilitate the movement thereof, antifriction guide wheels 'i8 are provided. These guide wheels engage the opposite sides of the ram at spaced points and are rotatably mounted upon suitable stub axles or pins 1|, carried by the top bearing caps of the bearings 99, which are mounted on the beams 8d.

In order to reduce the weight of the ram 68,

the same is of a hollow construction and its lower face is provided with a longitudinally extending centrally disposed rack bar l2. The rack bar is preferably set into the lower face of the ram and if desired, the teeth of the rack bar can be formed directly on said ram.

In meshing engagement with the rack bar 12 is a large spur gear '53, and this spur gear is keyed or otherwise secured to an operating shaft 14 rotatably mounted in bearings 15 mounted on the longitudinal beams 99. The operating mechanism for the shaft 14 will be later described and it can be seen that when the shaft is rotated in one direction, that the ram will be fed forwardly and that when the shaft is rotated in a reverse direction, that the ram will be returned to its rearward position.

The mechanism for operating the ram includes an electric drive motor 15 and this motor is securely fastened to a platform 'i1 carried by the base 28. This motor drives through the medium of a desired reduction gear, a cross shaft 18. This cross shaft 18 has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a spur gear 19 which is in meshing driving engagement with a relatively large gear 88 of the desired ratio. The gear 89 is in turn keyed or otherwise secured to a cross shaft 8| journaled in bearings carried by the standards 62 and the end of this shaft, remote from the gear 89, has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a cam 82 utilized for opening and closing the circuit to the motor 19 through a switch trip mechanism 8S, which will also be later described. Pivotally connected, as at 84, to the cam 82, is a pitman v-or connecting rod 85, and the forward end of of a wrist pin 8B, to a drive gear 81. The drive gear 81 can be keyed `or otherwise fastened to a transversely extending shaft 88. This shaft is mounted in suitable bearings carried by the longitudinal beams 64. The drive gear 81 is in meshing driving engagement with a relatively small spur gear 89 and this gear is keyed or otherwise fastened to the shaft 14 utilized for operating the pinion 19. The pinion 13 engages the rack bar on the ram 88.

Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings; as the shaft 8| is driven, the cam 82 rotates, and the connecting rod will drive the gear 81. The rotation of the gear 81 will drive the gear 89 in a clockwise direction and hence the ram 60 will be moved into the transfer guide bin or chute 25 and when the cam 82 has made one complete half revolution, the ram will have been moved forwardly a sufficient distance to transfer the entire bundle of welding rods into a waiting carton Il. This position of the connecting rod is shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. On the next half revolution of the cam S2, the connecting rod 85 will again be moved back to its forward position, and hence the gear 81 will turn in a clockwise direction, and the ram 60 will be returned to its normal position and out of the bin.

It will be noted that a trip switch 90 is arranged in the path of travel of the ram 50 and is arranged adjacent to the rear end of the ram. When the ram moves forwardly, the switch is tripped to a circuit closing position for a purpose, which will be described.

In Figure l0 of the drawings, we have illusf trated a simple electric diagram of the arrangement of the various switches used for controlling the operation of the machine, and in this gure, lead and return wires 9| and 92 are shown. These wires lead from any suitable source of electric energy. The wire 9| can have interposed in the length thereof any preferred type of manually operated switch 93 for opening and closing the various circuits utilized and this switch is employed for starting and stopping the operation of the machine. The vibrator 33 utilized for leveling the welding rods in the transfer bin or chute 26, operates continuously if the switch 93 is closed and the terminals of the vibrator are connected respectively to the wires 9| and 92, as indicated by the numerals 94 and 95. rIhe lead wire 9| leads through trip switch 83 to one terminal of the motor 46 utilized for operating the rolls or shafts 48 for controlling the feed of the welding rods to the transfer guide or bin 28. The other terminal of the motor 46 has electrically connected thereto a wire 95 which leads to an electric contact 91. Arranged in spaced relation to the contact 91 is a similar contact 98, and this Contact has electrically connected therewith a conductor 99, which is in turn electrically connected to the return wire 92. The contacts 91 and 98 form a part of the trip switch 32 utilized in the weighing scale, and as stated, this switch will be later more fully described. It is to be noted, however, at this time, that the switch 32 also includes another pair of spaced contacts 99 and |90, and that a movable conductor bridge bar 10| moves from one pair of contacts to the other to bridge either of the pairs of contacts. Electrically connected with the lead wire 9| on one side of the motor 46 is a conductor |02, which is electrically connected with one terminal 'of the solenoid 51 and the other terminal of the solenoid has electrically connected therewith a conductor 7, lwhich is in turn'ele'ctrically connected with the Wire' 96.' The cam'l 82 is employed for operating the trip switch 83 and this switch'in turn controls the opening and closing" of the circuit to' themotor Wand' thesol'enoid 51, and hence the wire 9| has interposed in the length thereof and in advance of the motor 4S' and the solenoid 51, apart of the trip switch `mechanism 83. This trip' switch mechanism S3 includes alswitch lever |04, wnicnis'froekabn mountedintermediateits Yends on'a'pivot pinltca'rried by theicasing |06"of thefswitchV 83: The outerV end' of the lever' m4 carries an anti-'friction lroller |61 which is "nr mallyuged into -`engagement vwith' the periphery" of the cam' 82 by'a spring It. The inner end of the'lever carriesa contact |09 and this 'contact is"electrically-v connected with the lead wire QI and is. 'adapted to be' moved into and out of en'- gagement with a 'stationary contact 'IIoo'nthejcam', thespring |63 functions to move the lever' so` thatthe contact |119 will Vmove out of engagement with'tlie stationary contact I |',`and into engagement with the otherstati'onar'y con--` tact I I I. Electrically connected to the stationary contact `I |1| is a conductor' wire I I2 and this wire is connected to one' terminal of a motor H3'. The' other terminal of the motor is connectedt the return wire 92. The motor |I3 "is utilized for operating the conveyor C and the circuit to the motor: |I3 is opened and closed at the proper times' so as' to operate the conveyor'belt I5 vin afstep by step movement s o as' to vinsure the proper positioning and holding of a `carton in alignment with the transfer bin or chute 26.

The switch el! in Yconjunction 'with the' cori-' tacts'f'lg and |053, serves asmeans for" controlling the-circuit to the^motor`16 for the ram and thecircuit for'thismotor will now be described.' One terminal of the vmotor 16 iselectrically connected tothe 'feedwire 9| by meansof a branch wire |I4 and the otherV terminal'oiv 'the motor 'has electrically connected thereto a conductor wire ||5 which leads to a contact carried by the operating switch lever I|1 of the switch's'. A stationary contact H3 is arranged' vinthe' path of the movement of the contact IIiz and when the lever is in engagement with the ram, the cori.- tact IIG is held away from the contact IIB'. It istoy be noted Y that the lever carriesY an anti friction ,roller for engaging the bottom face of the ram.. When the ram moves forwardly ,and the roller ridesoii of the ram, the vcontact Il is moved intoengagement with the Astati'inary Contact ||8 under ,the influencevof aspring'IZ'D connected' witnth'e'lever.' Tniscont'act ||8 has elecltrically'connected therewitha wire I2I which' leads to` the contact IGEi'of the switch 32.v The companion 'contact et has electrically connected thereto a conductor wire |22 'which is electrically connected with the Wire Ht leading from' the ram motor. At this time 'it is Ito be'alsor noted that the wire H55 has interposed 'in the 'length thereof `a time delay relay |23. A

As heretofore brought out,A the switch 32 is incorporated with the weighing scale and is 'oper ated from the scale pointer 30. A particular type' of switch'32. is employed so that the same can bei operated quickly and by a slight pressure', and this switch is known to the trade as a Micro switch and can be of the type manufactured by the Micro SwitchDivision of First Industrial Corporation, Freeport, Illinois. It is noted that any similar type of switch can be used. This switch includes an open frame-like trip lever |24 and'th-is trip lever |24 carries the conductor bridge strip IBI for the pair of contacts 91 and 98 and for the pair of contacts 99 and I. The lower end of the frame-like switch lever is rockably mounted on a pivot pin |25 rigidly fastened to a part of the frame of the scale. The upper end of the switch lever is provided with a trip bearing' point |26. We provide a yoke shaped trip button |21 having a recessed portion at its lower end for receiving the trip point |26. The trip button |21 is rockably mounted and the arms thereof are adapted to be engaged by a trip pin |28 carried by the scale pointer 30. When the pointer moves forwardly under influence of weight on its platform, the pin |28 will engage the yoke arms of the trip button |21 and swing the same on its pivot and move the switch lever lila to the right (see Figure 8). This will carry the bridge strip IiI into engagement with Ythe contacts 99 and itil and out of engage,- ment with thecontacts VSli and 98. When Vthe weight is removed from the scale platform, the pointer will move to the right and the yoke shaped trip button |21 will move the switch lever 32 to the left and carry the bridge strip into electrical contact with the contacts 91 and Y923.

It is to be understood at this point, that only a simpliiied wiring diagram has been shown and that in actual practice a different wiring arrangement can be set up and used with othervapv'pliances for preventing over-loading of the motors, etc. In operation of our machine, the hopper 24 is filled with the welding rods and the manually operated switch S3 is closed. Initially, the ram is disposed away from the chute as illustrated in Figures l, 3 and 4, and the various control switches are in the position shown in these gures and diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 10. Consequently, current will flow throughthe wire el through contacts IDS and III),y through the motoril and through the windings of the solenoid 5l, through the wire 95, through the contact bridge strip IGI, contact 98 to the return wire e2, through the branch wire 99. Likewise, current will flow through the vibrator 33 due to theconnection of the terminals thereof with the wires Stand 92.

Hence, the `welding rods will be fed one, at a time to the bin or transfer guide 2B and these rods will be leveled oif and compacted-.byvr the vibrator 33. The rotation of the shafts 40 will prevent jamming of the welding rods in the chute 33 and will prevent the too rapid feed of the rods to the transfer gate. The gate 49 for the chute will be held open in View of the fact that the solenoid is energized. The circuit to the ram motor is open, and consequently the ram is held at rest. Likewise, the circuit to the conveyor motor ||3 is open the conveyor carrying the cartons is at rest. c

When the weight of the welding rods in the transfer guide or bin Z5 reaches, say i'lfty pounds, the pointer 3e will trip the switch v32 so that 98 are no longer bridged.

thev bridge strip lill will move away from the pair of contacts 97 and 98 and into engagement with the contacts 99 and |69. This will open the circuit to the motor 4B and the solenoid 51 in view of the fact that the contacts 91 and Consequently, the shafts 4S and their feed rollers or discs 42 Will stop and the gate 49 will be rapidly moved to a closed position under the chute 33 by the spring 58 and feeding of the welding rods will immediately stop.

The ram B will now move forwardly in view of the fact that the circuit through the ram motorl will be closed. The current flow will be as follows: Through wire 9i, branch wire H4, motor l5, wire H5, relay [23, wire |22, contact 99, bridge strip ll, contact i553, wire l2! and back to the return wire e2 through the branch wire 29. The ram now performs its function of moving the bundle of welding rods from the transfer guide 23 to the waiting carton Il. As theweight of the rods is relieved from the weighing scale, the pointer 3d will return to its normal position and the switch 32 will be again tripped, causing the bridge strip lill to leave the contacts 9e and 50i! and engage the contacts 97 and 98. As soon as the ram moves forwardly, the switch lever Il? of the switch Si? is tripped and consequently the Contact IIS engages the contact l I8 and the current to the ram motor is maintained and the current flows as follows: Through wire 9i, wire lid, motor 16, wire lli, relay |23, contacts H6, HB, wire l2l, branch wire i251, and back to the return wire Q2.

It is to be noted that the welding rods are not completely oif of the transfer guide until the ram has almost completed its forward stroke, and consequently the pointer 3@ does not return to its normal position until the ram has almost completed its forward stroke. As soon as the ram does complete its forward stroke, the lever HM of the switch 33 rides off of the cam $32 andv consequently, the switch carried contact |69 moves away from the contact Hf.; so that the circuit through the motor 45 and solenoid is still open. Hence, on the return stroke of the ram, the gate 1121 for the feed chute will be held closed and the shafts di? with the rollers 42 will be still. When the contact ISS leaves the contact lill, the same will engage the stationary contact I l l and this will close the circuit to the conveyor motor H3. Hence, on the return stroke of the ram, the conveyor will be operated so as to carry a filled carton Il away from the machine and a new empty carton to the machine.

The circuit through the conveyor motor H3 is as follows: Through wire 9i, contact E69, contact IH, wire H2, conveyor motor H3 and return wire 92.

When the ram G63 completes its return stroke, the switch lever of circuit closer B3 will ride on the cam 32 and consequently the circuit to the conveyor motor will be broken, and the conveyor will again be at rest. t this time, the switch lever of the circuit maker and breaker Sil will be engaged by the ram and the circuit for the ram motor l@ will be open. It is to be also understood that at this time the pointer 3Q of the weighing scale will have returned to its normal position, and consequently the contacts @l and S8 will be bridged and the contacts E9 and lll for the ram motor will be open.

Due to the bridge of the contacts QS and e?, the solenoid 5l' will again be energized and the 10 circuit will be closed through the motor 46 for rotating the shafts and the rollers 42. Consequently, welding rods will again be fed to the transfer or guide chute 26. The machine is then ready for another operation as described above.

In order to facilitate the transferring of a bundle of welding rods from the transfer chute or guide 2E, we can provide a forwardly extending collar or guide throat on the machine. This guide collar or throat leads toward the conveyor and is adapted t0 align with a carton to be lled.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that we have provided an exceptionally rugged machine of a complete automatic nature which will effectively ll cartons with an accurate predetermined weight of welding rods, or the like.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of our invention, but what we caim as new is:

l. In a machine for filling cartons one afterthe other with an exact predetermined quantity of rod-like articles, comprising a trough-like bin of a shape in cross section corresponding to the shape in cross section of the cartons to be filled and open at both ends, a weighing scale supporting the bin, means for feeding the articles to the bin, means for leveling off and compaoting the articles in the bin whereby the articles will conform to the cross-sectional configuration of the bin and carton, means for moving the articles out of the bin and into a carton, including a pusher member movable longitudinally of the bin and a motor for operating said member, and means starting the motor in operation including an electric circuit embodying the motor and a switch for closing the circuit through the motor actuated by the scale when the articles in the bin reach a predetermined weight.

2. In a machine for filling cartons one after the other with an exact predetermined quantity of rod-like articles, comprising a trough-like bin of a shape in cross section corresponding to the shape in cross section of the cartons to be filled and open at both ends, a weighing scale supporting the bin, means for feeding the articles to the bin, means for leveling off and compacting the articles in the bin whereby the articles will conform to the cross-sectional configuration of the bin and carton, means for moving the articles out of the bin and into a carton, including a pusher member movable longitudinally of the bin and a motor for operating said member, and means for starting the motor in operation in cluding an electric circuit embodying the motor and a switch for closing the circuit through the motor actuated by the scale when the articles in the bin reach a predetermined weight, said means for leveling and compacting the articles in the bin, including a vibrator between the scale and bin.

3. A machine for filling a series of cartons with an exact predetermined weight of rod-like articles, comprising a weighing scale, including a platform and an indicating pointer, a trough-like bin having open ends and mounted on the scale, means for feeding articles to the bin, means for leveling articles in the bin, including a vibrator for the bin carried by the platform of the scale, a reciprocating ram movable longitudinally through the bin for moving articles from the bin into a waiting carton, means including a motor for operating the ram, and means for opening returns to its initial position.

and closing the circuit to the motor actuated by Ithe weighing scale..

.4. A machine for lling cartons one after the other with a predetermined quantity ofrod-like articles by weight, comprising a trough-,like-1bin 4open at both ends, means for feeding` articles to through the bin for sliding articles from the bin vinto a carton, means including an electric'motor for operating the ram, means for closing the cirfcuit to the motor by said pointer when .the articles in the bin reach a predetermined weight, whereby the ram will move the articles from the bin into a waiting carton,rmeans operated bythe ramfcr maintaining the circuit closed to the motor when the articles have beenremoved from the 'bin into a carton, andV means `operated by the ram for opening the circuit to the motor when theV ram 5. A machine for -lling cartons one after the other with a predetermined quantity of rod-like articles by weight, comprising a'trough-like bin open at `its ends, means for feeding'articles to be packed to said bin, a'weighing scale including a platform for supporting the bin and an indicating pointer, a vreciprocating ram movable through the bin for slidingarticles from the bin into a carton, means including an electric motor for operating the ram, means 'for closing the circuit t0 the motor by; said pointer when the'articles in the bin reach a vpredetermined Weight, whereby the ram will move the articles from ythe bin into a waiting carton, means operated by the ram for maintaining the circuit' closed to the motor when the articles have been removed from the bin into a carton, means'operated'by the ram for opening the circuit to the motor when the ram returns to its initial position, and means initiated by the ram forv stopping the feeding of articles to the binduring the travel of the ram.

1,6. A'machine for automatically filling cartons one after the-other withapredetermined quantity of rod-like articles comprising a hopper for .5;

the articles, a trough-like bin open at both ends for receiving the articles from the hopper of a shape Vin transverse cross-section corresponding tothegtransverse cross-sectional shapeof the cartpn tol be filled, a weighing scale supporting .i1-,

lthe articlesV in the weight.

the bin for sliding articles from the bin into a carton. and-operating means'ior moving vsaid pusher member through the bin including-'anon- Leratin'g motor operatively connectedto the pusher member, an electriccircuit including the operating motor; and a'switch actuated by the' weighing scale to close the -circuit through the motorwh'en bin reach a predetermined 71A machine for automatically lling cartons one after the other with a predetermined quan- :tity of rod-like articles asset forth ilfclam 6 and means returning the pushingv member to its initial starting vposition out' of vthebin after the 'moving of Vthe articles from' thev binY intoaI carton including` a switchac'tuatedbythe ram.

when said ram reaches a predeterminedposition in the bin and reversing the rotationiof `theoperating motor. 1 v Y f 8. A machine for lling a series of cartons with rod-like articlesone after the other byweight comprising a` trough-like guide bin havinga transverse configuration correspondingl to :the transverse con'guration of a carton to be lled andopen at both ends, means bringing'cartons into longitudinal alignment with the bin at-one end thereof, means for'delivering articles to the bin, a Weighing scale supporting the bin, pusher means lfor sliding the articles inthe `bininto a carton including anelectric motor operatively connected to the pusher means, and means-'actuated by the Weighing scale Yfor `opening and closing a circuit'through the motor according to the weights of articles in the bin. EDMUND E. LIPPMANN. ARTHUR W. LIPPMANN.

f le of this patent: l

UNITED s'rA'rEs iA'rENT Number Name Date 935,506 Heybach Sept. 28,- 1909 1,447,715 Ekstrom et al. Mar.- 6, 1923 1,627,577 Salerno May 10, 1927 1,881,859 Mullendore Oct. 11, 1932 2,076,617 Cleaves Apr. 13, .1937 2,115,620 Cave Apr. 26,- 1938 2,204,134 Howard June 11. 1940 2,324,667 Baker et al.- July 20,- 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Germany Sept. 28, 1938 

